1. Introduction2. Quranic verses on inheritance3. Traditional rules of inheritance4. Examples of how these rules affect women5. Standard defences of traditional rules and why these arguments are flawed6. Prospects for reform7. Examples of reform from Muslim countries around the world8. Resources

Introduction

Inheritance rights are crucial for Muslim women because distribution and control of property and assets significantly affect their ability to enjoy stable and fulfilling lives and to exercise other rights. Without assets derived from inheritance, women are disadvantaged, cannot lead independent lives, and cannot even ensure that they and their families can support themselves. Inheritance distribution is closely tied up with provisions in many Muslim family laws, and must be conceived from a just and equitable perspective in order to ensure there is fairness and justice in other aspects of family life. Although very vocal defences of the traditional inheritance laws have been argued, these are problematic both in terms of justice and in the context of the modern era. There are a number of compelling justifications for reform that have been proposed by Islamic scholars.

This section includes a brief overview of the major Quranic verses on inheritance, traditional rules of inheritance derived from those verses and hadith by the major schools of law, some examples of how those rules affect women, a sample of standard defences of those traditional rules and explanations of why the defences are problematic, potential prospects for reform, and examples of reform efforts from various Muslim countries around the world. There is also a list of resources that can provide more information on inheritance rules, examples of how people defend the traditional inheritance rules, and ideas for reform.